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Home My WebLink AboutCD 2024-0018; LEGOLAND CALIFORNIA PROJECT 2025; Admin Decision Letter~ °1(2-'+-jz~ □FILE ~ September 23, 2024 RICHARD APEL R. W. APEL LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS, INC. 571 HYGEIA AVE, UNIT B ENCINITAS, CA 92024 Ccityof Carlsbad SUBJECT: CD 2024-0018 (DEV2023-0061)-LEGOLAND CALIFORNIA PROJECT 2025 Dear Mr. Apel, The City Planner has completed a review of your application for Consistency Determination, CD 2024- 0018, which is a modification to Site Development Plan, SDP 2023-0012, and Coastal Development Permit, CDP 2023-0022, which allowed for the demolition and replacement of the existing "Driving School" and "Junior driving school" themed attractions with a new "Lego Galaxy" themed attraction on a 2.3.8-acre project site located within the Inner Park Area of Legoland California in Pianning Area 4 of the Carlsbad Ranch Specific Plan on property located at 1 Legoland Drive, Assessor Parcel Number 211-100-09-00, within the Mello II Segment_ of the Local Coastal Program and in Local Facilities Management Zone 13. After careful consideration of the request, the City Planner has determined that the request meets all of the findings below and APPROVES this request. The proposed modifications include the following: • Delete the approved Playscape {static display featuring 30-foot-tall alien spaceship themed children's play structure}. Move Toddler's Play Area to this location. In these two areas, replace steel shade structure with a tensile fabric shade structure, add landscaping, seat wall planter, additional paved open space, themed LEGO modeling/photo opportunity area to yield more outdoor space available for guest gathering, circulation, and viewing. • Replace retaining wall located near the northwest corner of the approved ride building and remove an Indian Laurel Fig Tree that was originally identified to remain. • Remove an existing Brisbane Box Tree that is in the path of the proposed realignment of an existing 24-inch storm drain. • Add three {3) new 24-inch box size African Fern Pine Trees along the northwest corner of the approved ride builqjng. In order for a Discretionary Permit Consistency Determination to be approved, all of the following findings must be made: 1) No project condition, feature, facility, or amenity is changed or deleted that ha.d been considered essential to the project's design, quality, spfety, or function. 2) The request represents an upgrade in overall design features and or materials and improves upon the project's compatibility with the surrounding neighborhood in that the proposed adjustments/revisions are located within the interior of the theme park and will not have any impact on existing or permitted future developments or uses in the surrounding neighborhood. All features~ structures and landscaping associated with the project will be maintained as part of the theme park. CD 2024-0018 (DEV2023-0061} -LEGO LAND CALIFORNIA PROJECT 2025 September 23, 2024 Pa e 2 3) The proposed revision does not change the density or boundary of the subject property. 4) The proposed revision does not involve the addition of a new land use not shown on the original permit. 5) The proposed revision does not rearrange the m,ajor land uses within the development. 6) The proposed revision does not create changes of greater than ten percent provided that compliance will be maintained with the applicable development standards of the Carlsb<Jd Municipal Code. Overall landscape coverage (planted area) has changed by approximately 5% (20,721 sq. ft. revised to 19,666 sq. ft.). 7) The proposed change will not result in· any significant environmental impact, and/or require a_dditional mitigation in that the proposed improvements do not create any inconsistencies or new impacts relative to the environmental review process associated With the original project's approval. 8} The proposed change would not result in any health, safety, or welfare impacts. 9) There were not any major issues or controversies associated with the original project which would be exacerbated with the proposed change. 10} The proposed change would riot be readily discernable to the decision makers as being substantially different from tl1e project as originally approved. Therefore, the City Planner has determined that the application qualifies for a consistency determination with the approved permit and approves the changes to the project based on Planning Division Administrative Policy No. 35. ComfY!unity Development Department Planning Division I 1635 Faraday Avenue I Carl~bad, CA 92008-7314 I 442-339-2600 CD 2024-0018 (DEV2023-0061) -LEGOLAND CALIFORNIA PROJECT 2025 September 23, 2024 Pa e 3 NOTICE Please take NOTICE that approval of your project includes the "imposition" of fees, dedications, reservations, or other exactions hereafter collectively referred to for convenience as "fees/exactions." You have 90 days from the date of final approval to protest imposition of these fees/exactions. If you protest them, you must follow the protest procedure set forth in Government Code Section 66020(a) and file the protest and any other required information with the City Manager for processing in accordance with Carlsbad Municipal Code Section 3.32.030. Failure to timely follow that procedure will bar any subsequent legal action to attack, review, set aside, void, or annul their imposition. You are hereby FURTHER NOTIFiED that your right to protest the specified fees/exactions DOES NOT APPLY to water and sewer connection fees and capacity charges, nor planning, zoning, grading or other similar application processing or service fees in connection with this project; NOR DOES IT APPLY to any fees/exactions of which you have previously been given a NOTICE similar to this, or as to which the statute of limitations has previously otherwise expired. This decision may be appealed by you or any other mem.ber of the public to the Planning Com.mission within ten days of the date of this letter. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Planning Division at 1635 Faraday Avenue in Carlsbad; along with a payment of $900. The filing of such appeal within such time limit shall stay the effective date of the order of the City Planner until such time as a final decision on the appeal is reached_. If you have any questions regarding this matter, please feel free to contact your project planner, Jason Goff at 442-339-2643. CITY OF CARLSBAD ERIC LARDY, AICP City Pianner EL:JG:cf c: Kurt Stocks, Merlin Entertainment Group US Holdings Inc., 1 Legoland Drive,Carlsbad, CA 92008 Flora Liu, LEGOLAND California Resort, 1 Legoland Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92008 Nichole Fine, Project Engineer File Copy Community Development Department Planning Division I 1635 Faraday Avenue I Carlsbad, CA 92008-7314 I 442-339-2600